Posts Tagged ‘Dancer’

Kali Thorne-Ladd and partner Alex Aillon’s Viennese Waltz earned them the championship trophy for the 2017 Dancing With the Stars Gala.

Kali is the Executive Director and co-founder of KairosPDX, a non-profit organization focused on access to quality early learning opportunities for historically underserved children. She is also the Chair of Portland Community College’s Board of Directors, having served on the board for the last 5 years. She previously worked for the City of Portland Mayor’s Office as the education strategies director overseeing policy and direction for the mayor’s key education initiatives.

In addition to her work in the Portland area, Kali spent over two years in South Africa teaching middle school and developing educational curriculum for rural African Children. She currently resides in North Portland with her husband and two children.

PCRI’s sixth annual Dancing with the Stars Gala featured four prominent Portland community members (clockwise from top left): Carlos Banks, Tricia Tillman, Kali Thorne-Ladd and Paul van der Salm, each trained by and dancing with professionals from Fred Astaire Dance Studio. Read below for more information about the competing dancers:

Carlos Banks

Carlos Banks joined Portland Parks and Recreation in May 2016 as the Teen Coordinator for the East Portland Community Center. Previously, he worked for Self Enhancement Inc. as a workforce coordinator helping to improve economic development and before that, as a high school coordinator. In 2005, Carlos moved to South America to learn Spanish and Portuguese, and to gain a greater perspective on life. While there, he completed a Teacher of English as a Foreign Language course and studied various courses at the Universidad de Buenos Aires. Carlos is fluent in Spanish, proficient in Portuguese and hopes to become fluent in yet another language soon!

Carlos grew up in Portland and graduated from Benson Polytechnic High School as well as attending Portland Community College as a part of the Portland Teachers’ Program. During this time, he began working with youth at Jefferson High School and Grant High School – and continues to do so today.

Carlos loves all sports, cycling, traveling and, now, dancing! Carlos and his wife Alejandra have a beautiful 4-year old daughter named Nandi. Carlos also has a 20-year old son, Antonee, who is studying at Western Oregon University.

Tricia Tillman

Tricia Tillman is the Director for Public Health for the Multnomah County Health Department where she strives to improve the health and well-being of communities of color and the health of the overall community. Previously, she served as a program manager for the department, initiating and managing the county’s Health Equity Initiative and the African American Sexual Health Equity Program, as well as serving as a co-chair for the department’s Diversity and Quality Team. Tricia also previously served as Director of the Oregon Health Authority Office of Equity and Inclusion, and has worked in various capacities in maternal, child and community health, coordinating efforts to improve the health of disadvantaged populations in Arizona, Massachusetts, and Oregon.

Tricia earned a prestigious Women of Achievement Award from the Oregon Women’s Commission, a Martin Luther King Fellowship from Boston University, and a public health fellowship through the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation. She is a mother of three teens, board member and co-founder of the African American Outdoor Association, and she occasionally finds time to run, ski, kayak and dance salsa.

Kali Thorne-Ladd

Kali Thorne-Ladd is the Executive Director and co-founder of KairosPDX, a non-profit organization focused on access to quality early learning opportunities for historically underserved children. She is also the Chair of Portland Community College’s Board of Directors, having served on the board for the last 5 years. She previously worked for the City of Portland Mayor’s Office as the education strategies director overseeing policy and direction for the mayor’s key education initiatives.

In addition to her work in the Portland area, Kali spent over two years in South Africa teaching middle school and developing educational curriculum for rural African Children. She currently resides in North Portland with her husband and two children.

Paul van der Salm

Paul van der Salm is a new star in Portland Banking. He works for Pacific Continental Bank as a Relationship Banking Assistant, providing personalized support for businesses, with a specialty in cash management. Prior to that, he was a Treasury Analyst at Capital Pacific Bank, and he studied business at Clark College.

Son of Dutch immigrants, Paul was given drive for equity at an early age. To serve that purpose, he volunteers as a CASA, providing children in the foster system a voice, as they work together to return the children to a safe, secure home, quickly. He also volunteers his time and energy with Camp Fire Columbia, most recently at digging holes for the rustic new split log benches they have along their camp roads.

In regards to the dancing, Paul admits that while he has done some swing dancing before, he is looking forward to learning new steps as he trains for the Gala. He claims to be “as nervous as a long tailed cat in a rocking chair store.”

When he is not at work or volunteering, Paul can be found playing soccer on one of three teams, cheering on the Timbers, or spending time with his family, as he is the proud uncle to 7 nieces and nephews.

PCRI’s fifth annual Dancing with the Stars Gala will feature four prominent Portland community members (clockwise from top left): Cupid Alexander, Lori Medak, Mayra Arreola and Carla Bunting, each trained by and dancing with professionals from Fred Astaire Dance Studio. Read on for more information about the competing dancers:

A former model, Cupid has been featured in national ad campaigns for Nike, Reebok, Columbia Sportswear, Nordstrom, Timberland and the publication “Cosmopolitan”. We couldn’t help but share one of his Nike ads, wondering if he’ll have next year’s bragging rights …

Cupid is a strong believer in community and economic empowerment. While we think he’ll be a natural, he nervously admits he may need the most help learning the dance, but says “I’m all in for the community, and PCRI is one of the agencies that houses many and does good work.”

Cupid is a proud graduate of Wilson High School and attended Western Oregon University, Fisk University, and Warner Pacific College were he was a collegiate basketball player and earned a Business degree. He additionally attended Portland State University where he earned both a graduate degree in Real Estate Development, and a Masters in Public Administration.

Lori Medak is the Vice President and Manager of the Commercial Group for Fidelity National Title, Portland. Passionate about closing commercial real estate transactions including many affordable housing developments, Lori has closed all product types with a wide range of complexity in more than 19 years in the title and escrow services profession. With a tremendous amount of experience in multisite, multistate portfolios, tax credit and bond financing structured transactions, she uses this experience in teaching classes for commercial clients to ensure smooth and successful closings.

In addition to her designation as a Certified Escrow Officer through the Oregon Escrow Council, she is proactive in working to provide value to clients with Fidelity’s business development and client service organizations. She believes in the strength of her branch and its team.

She enjoys all athletic activities, watching college football and basketball, wine tasting, walking, and spending time with family including her son. A native Portland resident, she studied finance at Linfield College in McMinnville.

Mayra Arreola – Director of Community Collaborations & Investment, United Way of the Columbia Willamette

Mayra Arreola is the Director of Community Collaborations & Investment for the United Way of the Columbia Willamette. She leads UWCW’s efforts to make community impact a reality by managing investments, building critical relationships, understanding needs and opportunities, fostering collaborations across sectors and giving United Way a visible presence across our four county region.

Previous to her role at UWCW, Mayra worked in rural communities across the state of Oregon focusing in community building through leadership development and small business enterprise primarily with the rural Latino population.

Mayra holds a Master in Public Administration by Portland State University and is a member of the Board of Directors of the Women’s Foundation of Oregon, a council member of the Oregon Housing Stability Council with the Oregon Housing & Community Services State Agency, a member of the Oregon Association of Minority Entrepreneurs (OAME) Advisory Board, member of the Strategy Team for Social Venture Partners Portland and a member of the Latina Associates for Collaborative Endeavors (LACE) with the Non Profit Association of Oregon.

Carla Bunting – Teacher, Mill Park Elementary School

Carla Bunting is an elementary school teacher at Mill Park Elementary in the David Douglas School District. She specializes in working with students for whom English is a second language. She was the winning bidder in the live auction during the 2015 gala, earning her a spot in the competition for the 2016 Dancing with the Stars Portland championship. At left, Carla and husband Phil Bunting grace the 2015 event’s red carpet.

Carla and her three sisters were all cheerleaders in high school. While she hasn’t danced since then, her favorite TV shows are So You Think You Can Dance and Dancing With the Stars. Originally from Long Beach California, Carla attended California State University Long Beach and moved to Portland with her husband and two children in 2008. She enjoys snowboarding, theater, traveling and the great outdoors.

We’re thankful for Carla’s help making past gala’s a roaring success and we’re looking forward to seeing her moves on the dance floor at this year’s gala!

PCRI’s 2015 Dancing with the Stars Gala featured four prominent Portland community members (clockwise from top left): Pamela Weatherspoon, Gunther Oakey, Jenelle Isaacson, and Ian Parker, each trained by and dancing with professionals from Fred Astaire Dance Studio. Read on for more information the dancers shared prior to competing in the 2015 event:

Pamela Weatherspoon was born in Southern California and was raised in Southern Oregon. She received her bachelor degree in Communications with a minor in Black Studies from Portland State University.

Currently, Pamela is responsible for Diversity and Community Engagement programs at Legacy Emanuel Medical Center. Prior to that, she worked as the Community Relations Director and African American Mentoring Director at Big Brothers Big Sisters Columbia Northwest.

She is currently engaged in the community in numerous ways including being a volunteer big sister in the Big Brothers Big Sisters program, board member of the Make it Better Foundation for the Portland Trail Blazers, advisory board for the Oregon Association of Minority Entrepreneurs, Commissioner of the Oregon Liquor Control Commission and board member of the Eliot Neighborhood Association.

In 2009, she graduated from leadership Clark County and in 2010, she finished a 13-month leadership program with the National Urban League. She also graduated from the American Leadership Forum in January of 2014.

Gunther Oakey—Corporate Counsel, NovaTech

Gunther Oakey is corporate counsel for NovaTech, a private software engineering and automation solutions company where he focuses on contracts, service agreements and partnerships as well as managing outside counsel. This role has given him a broad perspective on legal, business and management issues.

Gunther is also well versed in public and social issues, having acted as a legislative correspondent for the U.S. House of Representatives and as a student organizer and campaign office director for MASSPIRG. At MASSPIRG, he recruited and trained students to lobby state legislature and congress on issues including environmental concerns, student loans and homelessness.

Outside of corporate and legislative environments, Gunther is also working with Wiglbot, a Portland company that has developed an interactive educational robot controlled by musical instruments. Wiglbot dances (like the gala stars!) and lights up to help children learn a variety of skills from math, to engineering, to music.

Gunther also enjoys Oregon’s great outdoors and ballroom dance. He’s excited to put on his dancing shoes for this year’s gala and is looking forward to supporting PCRI’s work to provide affordable housing as a tool for families to achieve stability and self-sufficiency.

Jenelle Isaacson—Founder and Owner, Living Room Realty

Jenelle Isaacson is a Portland native and founder and owner of Living Room Realty. Living Room Realty is a full service real estate brokerage and property management firm that serves Portland’s urban neighborhoods and Oregon’s North Coast. They are the first West Coast real estate brokerage to receive B-Corp Status, a recipient of the Oregonian’s 2014 Top Workplace Award and winner of the 2014 Oregon Ethics in Business Awards.

In 2012, Jenelle was named one of Portland’s 40 up and coming business leaders under 40 by the Portland Business Journal, and in 2013, was one of 25 women who received the Orchid Award for being a woman of influence for her business and civic contributions. Jenelle got her start in business by performing in and managing an all girls punk band. She is excited to bring that energy and creativity to PCRI’s Dancing with the Stars gala.

“At Living Room we are committed to the ideal that each person within our community and on our planet have Living Room. The room to make a fair living and sufficient income, to live a life rich in experience and the ability to occupy a home. The room to exhibit vigor, gusto and enthusiasm and a space for living where there is opportunity for all. I am thrilled to be able to support PCRI because they work everyday towards this vision for our community. I’m thrilled they asked me to dance for this great cause. My Living Room is definitely the dance floor!”

Jenelle serves as Co-chair of the Rock and Roll Camp for Girls Board of Directors. She is an active member of Portland’s Entrepreneur Organization and a mentor for their Accelerator program. Jenelle is the mother of two daughters and when not working; Jenelle loves; running, swimming holes, impromptu dance parties, skiing, movies and crafting the perfect playlist.

Ian Parker—Producer and Reporter, KATU

Ian Parker is a producer and reporter for KATU, Portland’s Channel 2. He grew up in the Portland metro area and attended the University of Oregon.

After graduating from the University of Oregon, Ian worked as a producer, reporter and weekend weathercaster in Idaho Falls, Idaho. He then moved to Oklahoma City to report full-time, where he was he was honored by the United States Military for his reporting on military issues.

Ian returned to Oregon in 2013 and joined the KATU news team as a producer and reporter. He produces KATU’s Everyday Heroes program.

Ian is excited to show off his currently non-existent, but hopefully soon-to-be-exceptional dancing skills.

Gunther Oakey is corporate counsel for NovaTech, a private software engineering and automation solutions company where he focuses on contracts, service agreements and partnerships as well as managing outside counsel. This role has given him a broad perspective on legal, business and management issues.

Gunther is also well versed in public and social issues, having acted as a legislative correspondent for the U.S. House of Representatives and as a student organizer and campaign office director for MASSPIRG. At MASSPIRG, he recruited and trained students to lobby state legislature and congress on issues including environmental concerns, student loans and homelessness.

Outside of corporate and legislative environments, Gunther is also working with Wiglbot, a Portland company that has developed an interactive educational robot controlled by musical instruments. Wiglbot dances (like the gala stars!) and lights up to help children learn a variety of skills from math, to engineering, to music.

Gunther also enjoys Oregon’s great outdoors and ballroom dance. He’s excited to put on his dancing shoes for this year’s gala and is looking forward to supporting PCRI’s work to provide affordable housing as a tool for families to achieve stability and self-sufficiency.

On a spring evening at a going away party for a mutual acquaintance, Ted Poole saw Adrienne Nelson for the first time.

Ted introduced himself to Adrienne and they exchanged business cards. They went out for dinner and then lost touch. Until … a year and a half later, they ran into each other. What started as two acquaintances meeting again became a serious romance. Since being married, Ted and Adrienne share a love for dancing. They have taken dance classes over the years, including salsa and Chicago-stepping.

Adrienne is very graceful and elegant on the dance floor. Ted manages to ‘keep in step’ while making it look easy.

Ian Parker is a producer and reporter for KATU, Portland’s Channel 2. He grew up in the Portland metro area and attended the University of Oregon.

After graduating from the University of Oregon, Ian worked as a producer, reporter and weekend weathercaster in Idaho Falls, Idaho. He then moved to Oklahoma City to report full-time, where he was he was honored by the United States Military for his reporting on military issues.

Ian returned to Oregon in 2013 and joined the KATU news team as a producer and reporter. He produces KATU’s Everyday Heroes program.

Ian is excited to show off his currently non-existent, but hopefully soon-to-be-exceptional dancing skills.

Jenelle Isaacson is a Portland native and founder and owner of Living Room Realty. Living Room Realty is a full service real estate brokerage and property management firm that serves Portland’s urban neighborhoods and Oregon’s North Coast. They are the first West Coast real estate brokerage to receive B-Corp status, a recipient of the Oregonian’s 2014 Top Workplace Award and winner of the 2014 Oregon Ethics in Business Awards.

In 2012, Jenelle was named one of Portland’s 40 up and coming business leaders under 40 by the Portland Business Journal, and in 2013, was one of 25 women who received the Orchid Award for being a woman of influence for her business and civic contributions. Jenelle got her start in business by performing in and managing an all girls punk band. She is excited to bring that energy and creativity to PCRI’s Dancing with the Stars gala.

“At Living Room we are committed to the ideal that each person within our community and on our planet have Living Room. The room to make a fair living and sufficient income, to live a life rich in experience and the ability to occupy a home. The room to exhibit vigor, gusto and enthusiasm and a space for living where there is opportunity for all. I am thrilled to be able to support PCRI because they work everyday towards this vision for our community. I’m thrilled they asked me to dance for this great cause. My Living Room is definitely the dance floor!”

Jenelle serves as Co-chair of the Rock n Roll Camp For Girls Board of Directors. She is an active member of Portland’s Entrepreneur Organization and a mentor for their Accelerator program. Jenelle is the mother of two daughters and when not working; Jenelle loves; running, swimming holes, impromptu dance parties, skiing, movies and crafting the perfect playlist.

PCRI’s 2014 Dancing with the Stars Gala featured five prominent Portland community members (clockwise from top right): Ashley Korslien, Charles McGee, Jennifer Williamson, Ifanyi Bell, and Kelly Russell, each trained by and dancing with professionals from Fred Astaire Dance Studio. Read more about the 2014 Gala here, including the featured dance by Multnomah County Commissioner Loretta Smith and Metro Councilor Sam Chase.

Ifanyi Bell—Producer, Oregon Public Broadcasting

Ifanyi Bell is an Emmy Nominated producer for Oregon Public Broadcasting and has been creating digital content there since 2011. A native of Northeast Portland, and a graduate of Lincoln High School, Ifanyi left the Pacific Northwest on his way to a now 10 year career in public media.

Ifanyi’s work covering music, fine arts, books, food and everything in between set the standard for content created for OPB’s Arts and Life web site and pushed the envelope in regards to what is creatively possible at OPB. He has leveraged his community roots and connections to help foster and support community among artists of all types.

In his spare time, Ifanyi is an avid fair-weather cyclist and all around athlete. When he is not on his bike, on the court, or on the field, he enjoys writing and photography. Covering arts and culture in Portland has given Ifanyi the opportunity to see the way the city and the neighborhoods have evolved and changed over the years, and enjoyed supporting PCRI in its efforts to ensure a positive and equitable community for all Portlanders.

Ashley Korslien—Reporter, KGW Newschannel 8

Ashley Korslien, reporter for KGW Newschannel 8, grew up in beautiful Big Sky Country and is a proud University of Montana Grizzly! Ashley lives and breathes the news, but is most passionate about the people in her community. While working in Montana, Ashley founded a non-profit that helps military veterans and their families in times of need. She is happy to report that several years later, “Angels in Camo” is still going strong! In 2011, the Montana National Guard awarded Ashley the highest honor a civilian can receive. Ashley was given the Distinguished Patriot Medal for her dedication to Montana’s military families.

Ashley’s love for journalism led her to establish a scholarship her senior year of college. The “Professional Promise Award” goes to one broadcast journalism student at the University of Montana every year. Ashley hopes her scholarship will inspire others to give back.

When Ashley isn’t working, you can find her cheering on her Montana Grizzlies, reading, skydiving and trying to teach her two furry children new tricks.

Charles McGee—President and CEO, Black Parent Initiative

Charles McGee, President and CEO of The Black Parent Initiative (BPI), has a unique passion: To create the ultimate community. Named among the most influential African Americans in Oregon and honored as one of Portland Business Journal’s 40 Under 40 in 2012, Charles has a lot to say about leadership, education and public service.

Continuing on the path of his passion, Charles and his close friend Johnell Bell co-founded the Black Parent Initiative in May 2006 as a community-based, culturally specific, family organization. BPI is committed to addressing significant life changes faced by low- to moderate-income Black families in the Portland area by facilitating parent training, informational meetings and support groups to assist parents in providing safety, security and participating in the growth and development of their children.

Charles McGee is the last of five children who all live in inner North/Northeast Portland.

Kelly Russell—Professional Benefit Auctioneer

As an accomplished benefit auctioneer, Kelly is an energetic performer who insists every guest have a great time supporting their favorite organizations. A firm believer in FUN, she enjoyed the opportunity to have fun while supporting the families who benefit from PCRI’s housing and services.

With her recent engagement to marry fresh on her mind at the time of the gala, she aimed for her dance steps to dazzle the dance floor at the gala as well as light up her reception along with that infectious smile! LET’S DANCE!

Jennifer Williamson—Oregon State Representative

A 4th generation Oregonian, State Representative Jennifer Williamson knows Oregon is a very special place. Born and raised on a farm in Washington County, Jennifer was taught very early the value of both hard work and education.

Representing Southwest Portland’s District 36 in the Oregon House since 2012, Jennifer first entered the world of politics by accident. While attending the University of Oregon, proposed cuts in financial aid Pell grants and work-study programs threatened to end her academic career before it had really started. Unwilling to let go of her dream of a college education, she became an education activist. This path led her to Washington D.C. to work for Senator Mark O. Hatfield to ensure all Oregonians have access to higher education. She went on to receive her law degree, cum laude, from Willamette University.

Jennifer practiced law in Portland at the law firm Davis Wright Tremaine. She worked at Portland State University as the Assistant Vice President for Communications and Public Affairs. And she served on Superintendent Susan Castillo’s executive team at the Oregon Department of Education.

Jennifer is married to Paul Loving, a business attorney. They live in NW Portland with their dog Hamilton. Jennifer’s stepdaughter is a student at the University of Oregon.

Alex Aillon, co-owner and dance director of Fred Astaire Dance Studios Portland, started his dancing career with Fred Astaire Dance Studios in 1989 … however, life didn’t begin until May 26th of 2013 when Alex and Jessi became husband and wife. Traveling on the professional ballroom circuit, competing in the smooth division, they recently placed first at the Fred Astaire Dance Studios West Coast Dance Championships in January 2014 and are looking forward to more this year…! Alex and Jessi’s performance at the 2012 gala is pictured at right.

During his time at Fred Astaire Dance Studio Portland, Uriah Stockdale has won numerous National Scholarship Awards in both the American Smooth and American Rhythm styles. He and his wife Amber also compete, and have won. He is thrilled to be making his PCRI Dancing With the Stars debut and plans to add the 2014 winning title to his credentials!

Kacey Bicking is a professional ballroom dance instructor at Fred Astaire Dance Studios of Portland. Kacey has been an athlete from a very young age. He thrives on helping others achieve their goals through coaching and personal instruction. Kacey most recently placed as a finalist in the Mixed Novice Division at the West Coast Dance Championship in San Diego.

Sydney Weir has been singing, dancing and acting since she was very young. She has been a professional ballroom dance instructor at Fred Astaire Dance Studios of Portland for over two years. Sydney was a finalist a the West Coast Dance Championships in the mixed novice division.

Jessi Reynolds Aillon has been dancing all her life with national and international experience. Jessi joined Fred Astaire Dance Studios in Portland in 2010. She has been honored with numerous National Top Teacher Awards. Jessi and Alex Aillon are the current Open American Smooth West Coast Dance Champions and the 2013 Galaxy Dance Festival Rising American Smooth Champions. Jessi looks forward to another year of success with PCRI, sharing the transformative experience that is learning how to dance!

Enjoy the photos below from the dancers’ performances at this year’s West Coast Dance Championships … and don’t forget to get your tickets to the gala on 3/15!